Dispensing device



1948. A. HAMMERSTEIN 2,456,504

I DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Oct. 4, 1946 Patented Dec. 14, 1948 UNITEDSTAT ES PATENT OFFICE 2,456,504. DISPENSING DEVICE Arthur Hammerstein,Palatine, Ill. Application October 4, 1946, Serial No. 701,181

dispensing levers which give a maximum of control in the opening of thedispensing thimble of the device, while at the same time providing asupport against the knocking over of the device Yet another object is toprovide a dispensing device in which resilient parts may be removed andreplaced as desired and in which highly effective control of thedispensing operation is obtained with a minimum of effort. Otherspecific objects and advantages will appear as the specificationproceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in a preferred embodiment, by theaccompanying drawing, in which-- Figure l is a perspective view of adispensing device embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a transverse sectionalview showing the device in nondispensing position; Fig. 3, a viewsimilar to Fig. 2 but showing the device in dispensing position; Fig. 4,a bottom plan view of the device as shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a side viewin elevation of a modified form of the invention; Fig. 6, an end view inelevation of the structure shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7, a top plan view ofthe structure shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 8, a broken sectionalyiew of thedispensing thimble equipped with a resilient reinforcing member; andFig. 9, a perspective view of the reinforcing spring member employedwith the structure shown in Fig. 8.

In the illustration in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, Ill designates a casingbody formed of plastic, metal, or any other suitable material. Plasticshave been found very satisfactory for the product. The product may bealso formed of vitreous and other kinds of material.

The casing body Ill provides a chamber H adapted to receive salt,pepper, or other material to be dispensed. The chamber H is narrowedtoward the bottom of the casing to form shoulder i2. Spaced below theshoulder l2, the casing I0 is further enlarged to provide a recess l3.

Seated within the lower portion of the chamber H is a resilientdispensing thimble M having an annular rim l5 resting upon the shoulderE2. The bottom of the thimble I4 is provided with an elongated slit ill.The thimble l4 may be formed of rubber or any other suitable resilientmaterial which will maintain the slit l6 normally closed to prevent theegress of salt or other materialto be dispensed and the ingress of air,the slit, however, op-ening upon the exertion of pressure upon thethimble in a direction aligned with the slit '16 so as to provide adispensing opening.

Itis of great importance in a dispensing structure of this character toprovide theutmost of control in the dispensing operation; that'is, control of the size of the opening so that the desired flow of the materialdispensed can be obtained. I have found that a control of extremenicetycan be obtained through the use of a lever or pair of levers carried bythe casing and movable inwardly toward'the casing under the pressure ofthefingers so as to exert force against the sides of the thimble. In thespecific illustration given, I pro-'- vide levers l1 extendingdownwardly and laterally toward the bottom of the casing ill and havinginwardly-turned actuating arms IS. The arms l8 extend inwardly throughslots [9 at the bottom of the casing and have upwardly-turned endportions 26 extending within the recesses I3 of casing ill. .;In thestructure shown, the arms l8 lie sub.- stantially flush with the bottomof the casing l0 and prevent the casing from being tipped laterally.Since the levers extend upwardly along the sides of the casing l0, theyprovide a long resting surface for the fingers and thumb of the-handgrasping the device and permit an extremely accurate degree of pressureto be applied in the dispensing operation.

. Ifhe levers IT at their upper ends merge into a cross strip 2| whichmay be secured to the casing Ill by screws or other suitable means. Themetal strip 21 is preferably provided centrally with adownwardly-extending collar 22 received within the chamber II. Thecollar 22 is preferably threaded on its inner side to receive a threadedclosure 23.

In the operation of the device, the chamber I! may be filled byunscrewing the closure 23 and pouring salt or other material into thechamber. The closure is then secured in place, and when it is desired todispense the salt or other material, the casing It) may be grasped with.the finger-engaging levers I1 and pressure brought to bear against themto bring about inward movement of the upturned ends 20. In thisoperation, the hand in grasping the casing l0 along with the levers llhas a nice control Upon release of the levers l1, they spring back,

under the force of their own resiliency; to the initial position shownin Fig. '2, and the thimble is restored to its original shape, as shownin Fig. 2. In this position, not only is the thimble sealed against theoutflow of material but also the closure prevents the inflow of air.

The rectangular casing shown prevents tilting of the casing in alongitudinaldirection by reason.

of the length of the casing. At the same time,

the levers I! and their inwardly-turned arms IB buttress the casingalong its narrow side so that I :tilt'ing is prevented.

In, the modification shown in Figs. 5 to 9 .inclusivei. I provide aplate member 24 secured to thetopoi the casing 125, and, the plate 24 isproadded with a threaded opening receiving the threaded closure cap 26.Levers 21 are secured .bypins 2a to the: plate v24 and haveinwardlyti-irned arms 29 terminating in upwardly-turned end portionsill-engaging, the resilient thimble 3|. The thimble .31 is reinforcedwith a spring ring member 32, as shownmore clearly in Figs. 8 and 9.

The operation of the structure shown in Figs.

5 170, 9 inclusive is substantially the same as that already described.The resilient member 32 formed. of spring steel serves to restore thethimble 31 to, its .sealing position under all conditions and increasesthe life of the thimble. The. dispensing device, disclosed in bothmodifications, provides an unusually fine control of the opening of thethimble, permitting the operator to have substantially a graduatedcontrol of the opening, while at the same time the downwardly andoutwardly-extending "levers serve the additional function of preventingtilt.- ing, of the device. While I have shown two levers, it will beunderstood that one lever may, if desired, be employed.

While in the foregoing specification, I have described the structure ingreat detail, it will be understoodthat such details may bevaried'widely by those skilled in the art without departing from thespirit of my invention.

claim:

1. Ina dispensin device, a casing providing a-chamber', a metal memberextending over one end of said chamber and provided with a threadedclosure, a resilient thimble closing the other end of said chamber andhaving a slit therein which normally closed by theresiliency of thematerial, and a pair or levers carried by said metal .said slit, saidsaid chamber and .havingraslit-therem member and extending downwardlyand outwardly toward the bottom of said casing, said levers havinginwardly-turned arms engaging said thimble substantially in alignmentwith said slit.

2. In a dispensing device, a casing providing a chamber, a metal memberextending over one end of said chamber and provided with a threadedclosure, a resilient thimble closing the 'other end of; said chamber andhaving a slit thereinwhichis normally closed by theresiliency of thematerial, and a pair of levers carried by said metal member andextending downwardly and ;:;outwar.d-ly toward the bottom of saidcasing, said levers having inwardly-turned arms engaging said thimblesubstantially in alignment with inwardly-turned arms havingupwardly-turned end portions extending along the sides-of said thimble.

3. In a dispensing device, a casing providing a chamber, a metal membersecured to the top of said chamber, said metal member having an openingtherethrough closedby a -.r.emovable closure, a resilient thimble in theother endof which is normally closedby the resiliency of the. material,a pair ofleversiormed integrally withsai'dimetal member and extendingdownwardly and outwardly to about the bottom of said casing, andactuating members formed integrally with said levers and extending.inwardly and upwardly along said thimble.

4. In a dispensing, device, a casing providing a chamber .open at bothends, a removable closure for one end of said'chamber, a. resilientthimble closing the other end of said chamber and having a. slit thereinwhich is normally closed by the resiliency of themateria'l, and a pairof levers carried by said casingf-or movement toward and from saidcasing and having inwardly-turned arms. engaging said thimblesubstantially in alignment with said slit, said inwardly-turned armshaving end portions extending along the sides or .said thimble.

ARTHUR HAMMER'STEIN.

REFERENCES GITED I The following. references are of record in the fileof this patent:

JNITEIZ) S'IEl-YJSES PATENTS Great Britain (18%) Marti, 1 894

